Interesting thread. I also find him hard to place.
At his peak in the mid 2000s he was generally regarded as the best player in the world although I felt then that even an ageing Zidane was a more effective player.
His best years were at Barca where they hadn't become as powerful yet as they would later be (although he won the Champions League with them), he was their star. Not sure how he would have fit in to the Guardiola Barca which was much more about team first, individuals second. Ronaldinho was more of an individual player than Messi.
Overall I think he goes down as one of the game's greats but in the second tier of greats.
Top tier: Zidane, Ronaldo (Brazil), Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi
Second tier: Kaka, Ronaldinho, Neymar, Xavi, Bergkamp
edit: sorry I realised your thread was about where he fits with the great Brazilians and my post was about the modern greats in general.
Well amongst Brazilians of my lifetime I put him second to Ronaldo who I think was the most complete striker ever.